


Where do we go from here

by highladyofgothamcity



Series: All our broken peices [4]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-31 03:39:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17841749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/highladyofgothamcity/pseuds/highladyofgothamcity
Summary: Christmas Eve dinner with everyone under the same roof





	Where do we go from here

**Author's Note:**

> Ok well that happened. Thank you so much to every who waited four months for this, I'm sorry. For some reason I had a lot of trouble with this. I appreciate all the kudos and comments you have no idea. 
> 
> I'll go back and edit this later, but I wanted to get it to you guys ASAP. As always feel free to point out any errors.

Jocelyn Frey was a fierce guardian of the cookies. Everyone knew this, yet everyone still tried to sneak a snack before dinner. At this point it was more tradition to try and grab one from the cooling rack, not a genuine belief that success was possible. 

 

Max Lightwood rubbed at his hand and cursed the unspoken tradition. Jocelyn could wield a wood spoon. Bitterly the freshman wandered back into the living room where everyone but Clary and Simon's mother's were sitting around talking and half watching some ginger bread making competition. A familiar Christmas Eve tradition. But this year it was different.

 

Because of the two men lounging on the couch practically on top of one another, one engaged in a heated discussion with Izzy about make-up, the other gazing at the two fondly. Max wasn't sure what he thought about Magnus yet other than that he must be good because he make Alec so happy.

 

It was so easy to tell, even though Max's memories of his eldest brother were blurry with age, Alec's smile was brighter than he'd ever seen it, his laugh louder. And the way he shifted to make Magnus more comfortable, the hand on his boyfriend's knee.

 

Max paused in the living room doorway to just take everything in. Luke sat in an armchair next to the fire and was telling a story to Clary and Jace who sat smooshed in the love seat, Simon next to them in the floor strumming his guitar and catching up with his older sister. All of this, added to the smell of baking food and sound of laughter from the kitchen added up to the perfect Christmas dream.

 

A couple hours ago, he'd have thought that all this scene needed was his parents to be here laughing, a family once again. But now, after hearing Alec's story, he was confident that if Maryse or Robert we're here everybody would be trying to kill them.  Izzy had apparently briefed Simon and Clary about the Alec situation so they could forewarn the parents about him and Magnus coming to dinner.

 

Alec caught Max lingering in the door and smiled, still a bit tentative as if afraid Max would snap at him. As if he could be mad at his older brother _ now _ , after finding out that Alec had been forced away and had only given up contact to protect them. Max smiled back, then slipped into the last livingroom and perching himself in the arm of the couch next to his brother and Magnus.

 

Eventually Jocelyn and Elaine call everyone into the kitchen to fill their plates. The dining room is far too small for all of them, so folding chairs are dragged out and they make themselves comfortable in the living room.

 

“This is really good Mrs Lewis,” Magnus says, digging into his turkey.

 

“Thank you Magnus, I'm surprised it turned out as well as it did, considering last year.” Everyone who'd been here for that particular incident winces, including Max. That had been bad.

 

“Anything is better than Ragnor's turkey,” Alec jokes. Then, seeing everyone's slightly confused faces he added: “Ragnir is a friend of Magnus’ who can't cook at _ all.  _ He's worse than Izzy I'm pretty sure.” 

Jace laughs, ignoring Izzy's offended noises. “I didn't think that was possible.” 

 

“I was surprised as well.”

 

Max stuffed a roll in his mouth, then set to work on his mountain of green beans. 

 

“So Magnus, tell us more about yourself.” Elaine requests from her seat at the fireplace. “How did you two meet?”

 

“Well I grew up in foster care, and I'm still really close to three people that I met there. Ragnor being one of them. Normally on holidays we, along with a few friends from work, get together at Alec and I's place.”

 

“We meet in college,” Alec put in, and Max marveled at the way the two of them seemed to fit together, to share thoughts and finish each other's sentences. “We had a math course together but we were friends for a while before he asked me out.”

 

“I could tell he wasn't ready to date yet, but I had fallen in love during our first conversation and true love is worth a bit of a wait.”

 

They smile at each other until Luke jokingly complains about how cute they are, telling Jace and Clary “you guys have competition for most disgusting” Then two men just laugh, Clary jokingly glaring at them.

 

The conversation trickles down as everyone fills their stomachs. It picks back up during desert, after Alec's phone starts blowing up with texts, from someone named Underhill.

 

“He's one of my bouncer's,” Alec explains. “Giving me updates. We left him, and our other friends Maia and Helen in charge while we're here.”

 

“In charge?” Simon asks from the floor where he's made himself comfortable with his guitar. Isabelle laughs in deligh. “Oh yes Alec, tell them what you guys do for a living.”

 

Alec blushes slightly, which out makes everyone more curious. “Um, we run a night club. Pandemonium.”

 

Jace gapes. “Alec Lightwood, who refused to go to even elementary birthday parties, night club owner?”

 

Magnus put a hand on his boyfriend's knee. “We co own it. He runs security and a lot of our hiring and budgeting. I do our decorations and drink stocking mainly. Publicity too.” 

 

“Well, I'm glad you two find a way to work together. A lot of couples don't.” Luke says, standing up with his empty plate. “Now that everyone's done, I'll grab the straws for this doing the dishes.”

 

Another tradition, which Luke informs Magnus he doesn't have to be apart of. The fact that the man insists on being included makes Max respect and like him even more, especially when both of her name's are drawn and Magnus doesn't complain at all at being stuck in the kitchen with a teenager to clean.

 

He also doesn't treat Max like a kid, just smiles and makes jokes over the sink, sleeves rolled up as not to get them wet. He's also seen the Night Children movies, and is equally excited about the TV show that's coming up, set three years after the last movie.

 

Max almost drops a pot when his brother's boyfriend reveals that he  _ grew up with Raphael Santiago. _

 

“Seriously!?!”

 

Magnus chuckles. “Yeah seriously. And honestly I don't see what the big deal is, though I love him with all I am. Yes, he's a good actor but between the two of us, he's really grumpy.”

 

Max looks down at his hands nervously. They're wrinkled from the water, gripping a sponge tightly. Why he loved the actor so much was something he'd barely admitted to himself, definitely no one else. But…

 

“He’s also the first openly ace aro celebrity, at least that I encountered.”

 

“Oh.” Magnus says.

 

“It's not just that.” Max starts hurriedly. “I love his acting, but-”

 

“Hey I get it.” Magnus interrupts softly. “I would have killed for an openly bisexual, high profile celeb at your age.”

 

Max shifts uncomfortably, glancing at the door to the living room where everyone else is playing cards and laughing. “I'm not sure exactly. That-that I identify with that. But there was an interview, and he was explaining what he identifies as, and it just  _ fit. _ But I'm so afraid of what everyone will say, especially my parents after Alec's story and I just-”

 

“Hey, it's ok.” Magnus sets down the pan he'd been scrubbing at to lay a hand on his shoulder and tilt his chin up to meet his eyes. “am I the first person you've told?”

 

Max nods and Magnus’ face splits into a grin. “Way to go. I remember how hard it is, especially the first person, and I was 100% sure. And I know for a fact that Alec won't mind, and I have a feeling your other siblings won't either. Nobody that truly cares will.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

They finish the few remaining dishes and dry their hands. Before they go back to the others Magnus grabs his weird leather bag that wasn't quite a purse. “Tell you what Max, I'll trade you a secret for a secret.”

 

He pulls out a little black box and for the second time that night leaves him speechless. “Is that?”

 

“Yeah. I was planning on proposing tonight actually, before I ran into your sister in New York. But this is actually better, because now he can have his family there.”

 

“And you can get our blessings.” Max adds, then laughs at Magnus’ expression. “Don't worry, I don't think you'll have much of a problem with that. We all love you.”

 

“I'm glad.” They smile at each other.

 

“You guys almost done?” Alec asks from the doorway and they both jump. Luckily, the ring box is blocked from his view by Magnus’ body.

 

“Yes.” They both say at the same time, smiling in a way that says _we're not hiding anything._ His brother doesn't look convinced.

 

“Knew it was a bad idea to introduce you two.” He mutters. Magnus pouts. “I'm wounded darling.”

 

“Yeah right. Now shoo, I need to talk to Max. Please,” Magnus’ lets out a long sigh, grabbing his bag and somehow getting the box in it without Alec seeing it (Max hadn't believed his stories about learning magic tricks from street artists as a kid, but maybe he wasn't lying about that) and walking past him in the doorway, kissing him on the cheek and making a beeline for the living room.

 

“Am in trouble?” He asks, only half joking. 

 

“No! I just, um wanted to talk to you about something.” Alec runs a hand through his hair nervously. Max had noticed earlier how he'd let it grow out some more, keeping it longer than him it'd been while living with their parents.

 

“Remember how I said that mom and dad said that if I contacted you guys, they'd kick you out as well?”

 

“How could I forget,” Max said bitterly. Then he realized what Alec was saying. “Oh,”

 

“Yeah. Izzy and Jace are pretty independent. But you're fourteen, and I would never forgive myself if you-”

 

“You can't leave me again!” Max practically shouts.

 

“No, that's not where I was going with this. Just, I talked to Luke and Jocelyn, Maryse and Robert should never find out if we're careful, but they said that if they do. Well, they have a guest room and apparently feel pretty lonely here since Clary moved to LA. Just in case.”

 

Max flung himself at his brother, hugging him tightly. “Thanks Alec.” He mumbles into his chest. Strong arms tighten around him.

 

“Anytime.” He pulls back to look at him. “Now, I think they're getting the board games out and if I remember correctly you still owe me a Candy Land rematch you little cheater.” 

 

“You're so on.”

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I elected to keep Raphael aromantic as well as asexual like the books.
> 
> This is probably the second to last part, as I think I'll try and write the wedding. No promises. Thanks again, and feel free to comment about what you would like to see in the future.


End file.
